Dear Juno and anyone else who seems to find themself in a similar position,
My name is Ayla McNeil and I am 17 years old. I attend Foothill Technology High School where I will be graduating within the next 6 months. I will first off say I understand your complicated situation though I have never been in the same one. A member of my family had gone through a similar situation but decided to take a different route and abort her potential baby. She was too young and she couldn't even take care of herself, also being in an unhealthy relationship she found herself unfit for motherhood. I am pro-choice because I believe it is our body and we can do whatever we want with it. Do I think you were ready to have a child? No, of course not, no sixteen year old should have to be put in the same situation as you. However about 70% of high schoolers (at least) have sex so you shouldn't be singled out just because you were able to get pregnant. Your peers shunned you and I admire you immensely for allowing their judgement to phase your personality and own aspirations. I fully support your choice to give your son to adopted parents because even though you weren't prepared to take on the responsibility you were prepared to give your son the life he deserved with a mother who deserved him. Students in my class blame you for not using a condom, but in the heat of the moment, Bleaker doesn't seem like the kind of guy to go to the drug store and buy condoms because we are all stupid teenagers and we don't think anything bad can happen to us until it actually happens. If I was in your same situation, I would honestly abort my child. I have so much I want to do with my life and I don't want to have to worry about my child wondering why I gave it up. I know regardless I will think about what my life could have been like if I had the baby and I know abortion is not an easy thing to go through so trying to shame a woman into letting it live and calling her a murderer will not respect the 14th amendment. It is not anyone else's body so it shouldn't be their business but I can understand how people would be see it as murder, I just don't agree. In Roe vs. Wade I respect that their are two sides because it is a complicated issue but I ultimately believe it was your choice to do whatever and you made the worst situation into the best gift for a woman who was infertile.
Dear Juno and anyone else who seems to find themself in a similar position,
My name is Ayla McNeil and I am 17 years old. I attend Foothill Technology High School where I will be graduating within the next 6 months. I will first off say I understand your complicated situation though I have never been in the same one. A member of my family had gone through a similar situation but decided to take a different route and abort her potential baby. She was too young and she couldn't even take care of herself, also being in an unhealthy relationship she found herself unfit for motherhood. I am pro-choice because I believe it is our body and we can do whatever we want with it. Do I think you were ready to have a child? No, of course not, no sixteen year old should have to be put in the same situation as you. However about 70% of high schoolers (at least) have sex so you shouldn't be singled out just because you were able to get pregnant. Your peers shunned you and I admire you immensely for allowing their judgement to phase your personality and own aspirations. I fully support your choice to give your son to adopted parents because even though you weren't prepared to take on the responsibility you were prepared to give your son the life he deserved with a mother who deserved him. Students in my class blame you for not using a condom, but in the heat of the moment, Bleaker doesn't seem like the kind of guy to go to the drug store and buy condoms because we are all stupid teenagers and we don't think anything bad can happen to us until it actually happens. If I was in your same situation, I would honestly abort my child. I have so much I want to do with my life and I don't want to have to worry about my child wondering why I gave it up. I know regardless I will think about what my life could have been like if I had the baby and I know abortion is not an easy thing to go through so trying to shame a woman into letting it live and calling her a murderer will not respect the 14th amendment. It is not anyone else's body so it shouldn't be their business but I can understand how people would be see it as murder, I just don't agree. In Roe vs. Wade I respect that their are two sides because it is a complicated issue but I ultimately believe it was your choice to do whatever and you made the worst situation into the best gift for a woman who was infertile.
With the most respect and admiration,
Ayla McNeil